Keith's Far East adventure

Oct 10 2009 By Keith Wallis

DAY 6 - Shanghai to Nanjing

Today we are to travel to Nanjing and set up the Exhibition we are attending the next two days

First thing we are picked up to head off the train station.

This could be horrible, as some members of or party that we have recently joined with tell me. In the boom times you had to queue big style to get in the station.

Today it is relaxed and easy despite the throng outside the station and we find ourselves quickly passing through security and into a very comfortable lounge to wait for the train - with 'soft seatin'g as the Chinese put it.

The train is comfortable and clean and before long we are travelling at 150Km/h towards Nanjing. After 1 hour at this speed we realise we have been travelling for all this time without a single break in the construction work running along the line. The scale and rate of construction is truly astonishing.

Nanjing is noticeably hotter. We exit our train and pass another slower and less salubrious train full of young men who are obviously migrant workers heading for the city. Seeing so many westerners is an event for them.

The hotel is beautiful and overlooking the lake, but we have no time to enjoy it or get lunch as we head for the exhibition to get things set up for tomorrow.

The exhibition hall is amazing - the health and safely brigade are nowhere to be seen and it is scarily dangerous.

It takes longer than expected to get set up, and when leave for our evening dinner appointment the hall is still a mess. If it is going to be ready tomorrow then I'm a Chinaman.